USS Deft (AM-216)

History
United States
Name	USS Deft
Builder	Tampa Shipbuilding Company
Laid down	27 December 1942
Launched	28 March 1943
Commissioned	16 April 1945
Decommissioned	9 November 1946
Fate	Transferred to the Republic of China
Taiwan
Acquired	27 August 1948
Fate	Scrapped 16 January 1959
General characteristics
Class and type	Admirable-class minesweeper
Displacement	650 tons
Length	184 ft 6 in (56.24 m)
Beam	33 ft (10 m)
Draft	9 ft 9 in (2.97 m)
Propulsion	2 × ALCO 539 diesel engines, 1,710 shp (1.3 MW) Farrel-Birmingham single reduction gear 2 shafts
Speed	14.8 knots (27.4 km/h)
Complement	104
Armament	1 × 3"/50 caliber gun DP 2 × twin Bofors 40 mm guns 1 × Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar 2 × Depth charge tracks
Service record
Part of:	US Pacific Fleet (1945-1946)
Awards:	1 Battle star

USS Deft (AM-216) was an Admirable-class minesweeper built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was built to clear minefields in offshore waters, and served the Navy in the Pacific Ocean.

She was launched 28 March 1943 by Tampa Shipbuilding Co., Inc., Tampa, Florida; sponsored by Mrs. E. H. Jacobs; and commissioned 16 April 1945.

Deft sailed from Norfolk, Virginia, 22 June 1945 and called at San Diego, California, Pearl Harbor, Saipan, and Okinawa before arriving at Sasebo, Japan, 21 September. She swept mines off the coast of Honshū, and served in various occupation duties until 15 December when she got underway for the West Coast.

Deft arrived at San Pedro, California, 4 April 1946 and remained there for local operations until 13 August when she sailed for the Philippines.

She reached Subic Bay 24 October, was decommissioned 9 November 1946 and transferred to the Republic of China 27 August 1948. She was scrapped by the Chinese Navy 16 January 1959.

Deft received one battle star for World War II service.

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

• Photo gallery of Deft at NavSource Naval History